Question

why is an alloys brittle

Answer 1

As the name implies, carbon content is increased in the steel making it harder and stronger through application of heat treatments. However, addition of carbon makes the steel less ductile. The weldability of carbon steel is low and higher carbon content also lowers the melting point of the alloy.

Answer 2

If there is a mixture of only two types of atoms such as a copper-nickel alloy ,then it is called a binary Alloy.For instance,sulfur is a common impurities in steel . sulfur combine readily with iron to form iron sulfide , which is very brittle.creating weak spots in the steel.